Oleg Orlov, a human rights activist from Russia, has had his appeal against imprisonment for condemning the war in Ukraine rejected. The Moscow city court judge ruled that his two and a half year sentence, issued in February, would remain unchanged. Orlov, a 71-year-old co-chair of the banned Memorial rights group, a Nobel Peace Prize winner in 2022, was charged with discrediting the Russian army for criticizing the war and accusing President Vladimir Putin of leading the nation towards fascism. Despite being imprisoned in Syzran, Orlov expressed no regrets for his actions and stated that he stands by those persecuted in times of mass repression. He compared the Russian judicial system to the dictatorship in Nazi Germany, emphasizing the distortion of justice and law. His column for French media, where he labeled the Russian armed forces as descending into a fascist state and highlighted civilian casualties in Ukraine, led to his conviction for discrediting the military under strict censorship laws. Orlov's defense argued for his immediate release, asserting that he posed no threat to traditional Russian values. Concerns have been raised about his health and the conditions of his detention, with claims of cruel and degrading treatment. Memorial, known for its advocacy against rights violations in Russia, faced dissolution in 2021 as part of the government's crackdown on dissent and independent organizations.